Mizuno was founded in 1906 as Mizuno Brothers, Ltd. by Rihachi Mizuno and his younger brother Rizo, in Osaka. The shop sold Western-world sundries, including baseballs, and then in 1907 began to sell order-made athletic wear. In 1910 the shop moved to Umeda-Shinmichi and its name was changed to Mizuno Shop. In 1913 the firm began to manufacture baseballs and gloves. In 1933 Mizuno presented Star Line, the first Japanese made golf clubs. By 1935 its golf club showroom was the world's largest. In 1941 the company name was changed to Mizuno Co., Ltd, and has remained the same since. During World War II, Mizuno manufactured military ordnance for Japan's war effort.[4]
To gain a foothold in the baseball glove market in the United States, the mobile "Mizuno Baseball Workshop" was introduced in the late 1970s to service major league clubs during spring traininginArizona and Florida. The forty-foot (12 m) van contained extensive leather-working equipment, manned by two skilled Japanese craftsmen, to produce made-to-order gloves and repair all brands.[6]
To commemorate the company's 30th anniversary, the company began manufacturing gliders in 1936.[7] Among the company's military design efforts included the Mizuno Shinryu, a proposed rocket-poweredinterceptor that never left the prototyping stages, and the Mizuno MXZ1, a training glider.[8]
Mizuno is a manufacturer of golf clubs and accessories. Tiger Woods used Mizuno golf clubs until he signed a deal with Titleist and turned professional in 1996, but continued to play with Mizuno clubs for his first pro year and a half while waiting for his ideal set of clubs from Titleist; notably, he won his first Masters Tournament victory in 1997 with his Mizuno clubs.[9] Other players have played using Mizuno equipment during their careers, including 13 of the 24 players who have ever held a men's #1 ranking (as of 2022).[10]
